Phoenix from the ashes
by mrs-commodore
Summary: There's an explosion at SunHill, Andrea is the only surviver to see the murder, but will she find the memory, clues and them before they find her...
1. The Wakening

Phoenix from the Ashes 

DISCLAIMER: 'The Bill' characters depicted in this story is copyrighted to Thames Television/Pearson Corp

She lay slightly awoken. She blinked as her eyes got use to the bright hospital lighting, she could her the whispers of voices from outside the door and dim sounds of phones ringing, she could hear a constant beeping coming from the machines surrounding her. Questions lingered in her numb head; What had happened? Why am I here? Who else is in this way? Where is everyone and how did all the cards around her get there? First took in the scenery of her hospital room, the bed she lay in, the bedside desk next to her that had a jug of water and a half filled plastic cup next to it. A funny yellow television that was the wards patient entertainment, she was meant to be here for a while is they had installed cable she thought. Her eyes wondered around to a bag piled on the chair near the bedside.

Her clothes were inside. Not just clothes - her slippers, a toiletry bag filled so much that the seams were spitting and a small teddy bear, that she remembers from her childhood. The only people who knew about the teddy were her family. Why are they here? Who got hold of them? Are they angry? Where are they now? Questions trafficked her mind. She decided to examine her get well cards next, there were many so she must had been here a while. The first one she picked up was larger than an average card, and it had a small teddy bear with an leg in a cast, she opened the card. Hands shaking, she was still in a lot of pain, it numbed her body so finding the focus of the pain was nearly impossible, she looked at the card to find,

"Andrea get well soon, everyone is thinking about you - thanks for leaving us the paperwork, lotsa lurve the guys and gals form uniform XOX."

They had signed on the opposite page, messages of encouragement, everyone she could think of had signed the card. She put it back and picked up the one next to it, this one was smaller and had a fairy waving a wand. The inside message read,

" Andrea hope you recover soon, we are all missing your help with paperwork, don't take too long or we'll find someone else love from the best detectives in the world, CID XX."

There was a slim tear in her eye, what had happened that had made everyone sign a card, thinking about everyone she double checked the signatures, Neil hadn't signed it, nor had any other senior officer. Weird she thought. There were a few more cards, mostly from her family and friends up in Scotland. Bertha her best fiends had written a letter about current Scottish issues, how's people she know are getting along and the details of her latest relationship. There was a small footer at the bottom of the card,

"See you soon babe, I hate planes but I'll take one for you Love Bertha XX"

At this point Andrea was getting worried. She had no idea what was going on, there was two cards left, she stretched form her bed to reach them. The first one she grabbed was average size for a card and had a cat dressed up as a police woman on the front, she opened the card with trembling hands, the medication was wearing off she thought, as she opened the card her eyes instantly darted form one side of the card to the other. Searching for Neil, and there he was in the bottom left corner, a tiny message.

"Get well soon, enjoy the time off, DI Manson"

The other senior officers had signed it, Adam Okaro's message looked really long, so she read that next,

"Andrea, you are a credit to the force, luckily you only lost three of your nine lives. Hope to see you back - don't worry about work, Supt Adam Okaro."

This is weird she thought. The last card was at the bottom of bedside cabinet. It was mainly blank with a purple background and in bold was the traditional get well message, as she opened the card, as she examined the page she instantly recognised Neil's writing, he wrote like this when he didn't want anyone to notice it's his writing - it was in capitals. She read it from the top.

"Dear Andrea, Hope you get better soon, you are always on my mind from start of a day to the finish, I'm wishing and hoping you'll be OK and I hope that you'll be back on a near day. Love N. XX"

Poetry… from Neil! Now this was getting strange. The real world started to sieve back into Andrea's mind, she rang the nurse caller on her bed. One came almost instantly,

"Miss Dunbar you are awake!" The nurse turned back to the corridor, "Mary go get Dr Jones - Miss Dunbar in room four had just woken up." The other nurse nodded and walked off quickly.   
A few moments later the doctor arrived with the young nurse tailing behind him. He made eye contact with Andrea and smiled.

"Miss Dunbar, you had all of us on the ward worried about you. We thought that you were not going to make it. I few days ago it was touch and go for a while." He spoke as he looked at her notes, once he had finished he softly smiled and sat by her side on the bed.

"How are you feeling? Any pains?" Andrea explained that she felt weak and numb, the doctor nodded and started to run a quick check-up.

As he was she examined him, he wore a white coat with his suit underneath. He had been busy today she thought. He had white wispy hair and small sideburns, his voice was deep and rough, but it matched his style. Like a old headmaster she wondered. "Everything seems OK so far Miss Dunbar, you have recovered very well!" He stood and talked to the nurse, Andrea glanced outside the door and saw Lance waiting outside - Guarding.

"Nurse, can you send in the policeman outside the door please?" The nurse looked back and forth at Andrea and Lance, she nodded and left along with the doctor. Lance entered with excitement,

"Andrea! Are you all right, I've been worried. We all have, I…" Andrea raised her hand to stop him talking. She sighed, "Lance I have no idea what happened or why I'm even here. Please tell me! Why have I got everyone worried." Lance looked shocked,   
"No-one has told you about it?" Andrea winced as she sat up.   
"Tell me Lance!" Lance sat down next to her " There was an explosion at the station, seven officers were injured, three killed and you in critical, they say that you were the only one to see who it might be, coz' they found you where witnesses have said they saw someone running away form the gates. In the yard." By now Andrea was really shocked, she gulped. "Who has been killed and injured Lance?"

He looked down, he didn't want to tell her in this state but knew he had to.   
"Marilyn Chambers, Dean McVerry and Gabriel Kent died, Yvonne, Honey, Gary Best, Phil Hunter, Steve Hunter, Sergeant Smith and Tony were injured but some were in hospital and some weren't, they are all out now and some are even back out there!" Andrea didn't know what to do, she was relieved that Neil wasn't in the list but saddened that so many people had died and got injured. "Lance what about the others, how come so many were injured?" Lance gulped "Cathy Bradford had a bomb around her, only she didn't tell anyone so no-one could move. You came into the station around the back, because you were late. You were running into the Yard not to be any later, only to be very near to Cathy. Gabrielle, tried to calm her down with Suzie. Marilyn was returning after a chat with Reg by the gate, and as she wanted to avoid the super who was waiting out the front she went around the back.

So the only people in the Yard at the time were you lot. The other that had gotten injured had been a result of the explosion, you know damaged walls falling and cars flying. You are the only one who could have seen anything, the bomb squad said that it was sight activated, so someone put it on her and must had told her it was a dud to scare you all, and then they set it... The person was standing by the gates apparently, and as you were late for work, you must had come though the back and saw them standing there." Andrea was silent.   
Then she cried.


	2. The Breakup

Phoenix From The Ashes Part 2 

She felt cold. Her tears were meaningless, she knew that no matter how much she cried it wouldn't block out the pain, or even bring them back for that matter. When she had calmed down she asked Lance how long she had been here and who had visited her. He told her that her family came in everyday to check-up on her, but as the doctors said that she wouldn't wake up for a while they left to stay at Andrea's flat. Lance explained that people from work dropped in and out, and that she had been unconscious for a week. Andrea asked Lance to leave, saying that she was tired. Once he had gone she turned the light near her bed out and sunk down into her warm blankets, feeling the softness of the fabric reminded her of the times with Neil. His shirts were soft, with his silk ties and his leather belt. She wanted Neil now, to hold her and to say that everything will be fine. After what seemed like an hour of thoughts and wishes Andrea began to feel generally tired. She sunk down further and rested her head on the pillows.

The lights shone though, bright as ever. She felt asmall and dull weight on her legs, not moving too much to she what it was she guessed that it was a coat. belonging to whom? She lifted her head up slightly. Seeing a man looking out of the large wondow to the left of her. She instantly recognised him, but wasn't too sure.   
"Neil?" He spun around on his heels, seeing him took Andrea back a bit. The last time she spoke to him or even the last him she had seen him during their argument. Andrea was deeply sorry to the pain she had caused Neil - and seeing his face he was in a lot of pain, but not because of their argument, but because that if she had died the last acquaintance they had was a verbal fight. He gulped and walked slowly towards her, no-one dared speak, no-one knew what to say. He became closer and sat on the chair near her bed.

" How are you feeling. Lance said that you had woken up so the Super sent me down to be sure." Andrea smiled looking down. She knew that Neil was lying, she knew that Neil anted to see her and wanted a good and reasonable excuse to. For a moment Neil facing her looked down, her hand was resting on her stomach, and she swore that she had seen Neil's hand move closer. She wanted to break the silence.   
"How's everyone else?" Neil glanced back up and turned his head to the side like a confused puppy. "Andrea…" Neil sighed. He wanted to tell her but at the same time wanted to run as far as he could. He continued before Andrea lost interest. "Andrea I'm sorry for being like I was…" "Horrible?" She questioned, Neil smiled.   
"No, I didn't want the last… I wouldn't want our last moment - if you had died - to be an argument." Neil was really trying hard to say the dreaded "s" word, men didn't like that word. So Andrea said it for him,   
"Sorry?"

Neil bowed his headonce again, sighing he mumbled something under his breath, when he lifted his head up she saw a confused Andrea. So he said it louder, but it wasn't enough - Andrea just shook her head. So he said it once more.   
"I'm sorry…" Andrea's sprits lifted, "I'm sorry for shouting at you, it wasn't your fault that I didn't get a result for that Morris case then DCI rubbing it in my face, in the front of CID. But Andrea I needed someone to blame, and you were the closest target. After I shouted at you, and broke it off I went home - only for the DCI to call, I thought that it was to rub it in more…" Neil stood, he couldn't face Andrea. He found it nearly impossible to see her facial expressions. He played with his fingers, "If I knew that he was about to tell me that you had been injured along with others, and some had already died, I would have been there in a shot." Neil turned around and saw Andrea holding a glass of water, she glanced up at him for a second then gave her attention to the hospital floor. Neil knew that the point the wanted to make wasn't going into her mind, so he took a deep breath and sat down. This time on the bed. "Andrea I would have been there in a shot - I still care about you." Andrea giggled sarcastically,   
"So you always say Neil, but you never prove it… do you?" Neil dropped his head again,"Well it's true Neil, as soon as it gets a little too close for comfort you from me like a hot plate! You only talk to me when you want to and when I want to talk to you I need an appointment." Andrea held Neil's face, she lifted it to her eye level. "You see Neil this relationship is one sided, and I preferred that we just stayed work mates. Nothing more." Neil's face turned form a troubled teenager to a sick puppy. A love sick puppy. For a while Neil tried to reason with her, but she had made up her mind - and when she got a little bit too stressed a nurse asked him to leave. To Neil it was the end… to Andrea it was the beginning, but little did she know that the only person she could count on was the only person she told to stay away.

"Good morning, it's six o'clock on a sunny Wednesday and I hope that all of you are going to have a fine day!" The radio blasted in the morning, Andrea was starting to regret buying an alarm radio, but right now she had to have a shower and get dressed.

It was two weeks after she left hospital and two and a half weeks since she had spoken to Neil. But she had to stop thinking about him and get on with her life, she knew that there was no chance he'll leave his family for her so there was no point to have a relationship with her, especially when he treated her badly. But that was enough about Neil, she was going to be late for work.   
She pulled her car up into the nearest parking space, as she lent backwords to grab her bag off the back seat she felt a large pain in her chest. She was starting to regret coming back to work so soon, but she was here now and she had a job to do.


	3. The Watching

**Phoenix From the Ashes Part 3**

"Hey Andrea, wait up!" It was Steve Hunter, he shouted out as he chased her down the corridors. "Andrea your back in today. We where worried about you" Andrea rubbed his arm,  
"Thanks Steve, you heading down here?" Andrea asked pointing towards the canteen. Steve nodded,  
"Yeah, I need to find Tony anyway." They walked down the mildly busy corridors, passing fellow officers Andrea realised how popular she was. As they saw her they asked how she was and said that they didn't expect her to be back so soon, she thanked them and carried on walking with Steve. "Phil I can't just give you five hundred pound to bait a guy who might be there and a say so of a drunk that he has five kilo's of coke - not without evidence" Phil sighed, "Ah come on Guv' trust me on this" Phil tapped Neil on the arm and raised his eyebrows. Neil shook his head and paid for his cheese and tomato sandwiches. Phil followed his DI over to the drinks machines trying to persuade his DI to allow him to get a big result, but all Neil did was get a can of coke.

Andrea opened the canteen doors and held them for a moment so Steve could catch up, Neil heard her talking to Phil's younger brother and was shocked that she was in work. He could see that she was still unwell - he had this urge to sweep her up and place her gently on her bed, only to tuck her in and give her a sweet dreams kiss. Yet all his mind could hear was Phil talking about his silly operation, 'later on I'll talk to her,' he thought, 'to straighten things out, and to let her know that I'm there.' But Phil was still buzzing in his ear. He Didn't want to give in but seeing Andrea in her state and wanting to talk to her so badly made him try to get rid of Phil as fast as possible. "Phil! Look I will think about it, now please leave me alone and get on with the rest of your work Please!"

But by the time Phi had left Andrea was sat with her colleges. So he made his way up to CID.  
"You're a bit brave - coming back in so soon." Tony said to Andrea while drinking a mug of coffee. Andrea smiled weakly, "I can't stay at home doing nothing, it drives me insane." "Yeah I suppose if you are one your own, sitting around all you have to do is think about what happened, and that's not good for you." Reg added.  
"Yeah thanks Reg!" Tony stated, there was a call on his radio about a suspect on the premises of a burglary, so he grabbed his partner Reg and headed off, leaving Andrea on her own.

But a stranger watched her from the far side of the canteen, wishing and hoping that next time - she doesn't come back so early, or not at all.


	4. The Meeting

Phoenix From the Ashes Part 4

DISCLAIMER: 'The Bill' characters and original plot depicted in this story is copyrighted to Thames Television/Pearson Corp

"So what's her name again?" The character asked.  
"Andrea Dunbar - PC Andrea Dunbar, She was by the gates when it happened. You have to be careful, MIT thinks that she may have seen you." He knew he was doing wrong, but for his sake he had to. The character stood up while the messenger stood still. The murderous individual walked over to a boarded up window, where only sliver stripes of light peered though the small cracks in the timber.  
"Has she said anything to you?" They stared at each other for a while.  
"We don't really talk much about it in work, people get distressed." The darkened soul walked into the light beams and turned around, the messenger could see half a face, one eye with a small scar near it.  
"Typical, call yourself a force!" Sniggered the murder. The errand boy look at his watch,  
"I gotta' go, I told my guv'nor that I'll only be ten minutes to get some lunch." The semi-lit figure smiled and nodded.  
"We'll finish this conversation tonight, meet me here after your shift… Oh and talk to her about it, we need to know what she knows, and I want a picture - I'd like to study my next victim" 


	5. The remembering

Phoenix From the ashes Part 5

DISCLAIMER: 'The Bill' characters depicted in this story is copyrighted to Thames Television/Pearson Corp

There was a constant drone of light toned ringing, a dim sound of nattering in the corner and the unique tapping of the computer keyboards. Yes this is the Sun Hill CID department. Andrea was sat at Suzie's desk, she was out with MIT. She was asked to write her statement under the supervision of DI Neil Manson, by his recommendation of course. Andrea found Neil regularly guiding his head towards her direction, and with a mime of "Are you alright?" she always answered with a positive nod.  
Neil hadn't been the same from the bomb, Andrea knew that he and his wife were on bad terms, but with Smithy as a possible treat to them, Neil showed as much as possible that he still cared. He tried, but more often than not Smithy beat him, but Andrea didn't love Smithy - she loved Neil, and that gave him the extra points, but Andrea had never told Neil her feelings, she'd never thought that a few days from now… It was one thing she'd regretted.

Andrea sat at the computer, she could see Neil's reflection in the computer screen, he was looking though his office window at her. He was also on the phone shouting, odds were it was his wife. Andrea inspected the main CID office one more, she looked out the nearby window and watched Neil's reflection again for a while. But she couldn't remember what had happened, she tried but nothing shot back from her memory. 'Think Andrea, think.' She played in her head as if it was on a loop.

She sat there for at least half and hour, "Are you aright?" Neil spoke over her shoulder in a soft voice. Andrea lent her head backwards so she could see who it was, "I can't remember anything, I've tried but nothing has come back…" Neil walked by her side and sat on the desk she was borrowing, giving her a sympathetic look he suggested that she might try talking about it with another person, rather than a bright computer screen.  
"Like who?" Andrea asked. Neil sighed "What about me, I'm always here for you… or if you don't want to I suppose there's Smithy." Neil dodged Andrea's eyes once he mentioned Dale's nickname. Andrea knew what he was getting at and thought that it was rather adorable of Neil to be jealous and competing. "Well if you don't mind Neil? I mean I thought that you might be busy." "Nah, I'm not busy… come on." Neil stood up and started walking slowly over to his office, Andrea closed down the computer and followed Neil.

As Andrea walked into Neil's office, she just caught a glimpse of him scooping a load of files of his desk into one of his drawers. He was busy but he hid it from her, probably because he thought that she'd might go off with Smithy. Andrea smiled again at Neil's admirable behaviour.  
"Take a seat." Neil asked as he sat in his own, but seconds later after watching Andrea sit he changed his mind and decided that he should be closer to her, just in case she needs a should to cry on. So he sat on the edge of his desk, Neil watched Andrea for a few moments before saying anything, she looked uncomfortable and she kept fidgeting. He noticed that her hands were resting on his desk, she was playing with her fingers, he wanted her to be calm and relaxed so he placed his hand on hers, they immediately rested and clenched Neil's hand. Andrea sighed and looked at Neil, who gave her a broad smile to cheer her up, she smiled back weakly, Neil resolved the quiet moment by speaking first. "So where do you want to start… hang on." Neil stood up and walked over to his drawers, opening the bottom one, he moved aside a half full bottle of whisky and pulled out a recording device. Closing the draw and sitting in his original seat he stood the recovered a few inches away from them both.  
"This is so we don't forget any details." Andrea nodded, and gulped. Neil reassured her by holding her hands once again and every two seconds he would rub his hand over the back of her hand, like windscreen washers on a car's windscreen, just to let her know he was still there.  
"Think, when I did my degree in psychology, you learn that you can bring back memories if they are sparked up again, like if there was a memory about a restaurant, and you forgot it… but days later you saw the same wallpaper in a house that was in the restaurant, the entire memories of that restaurant will flood back. Flash bulb they call them. Maybe you just need something that'll spark it back… the justice of lives of three people are depending on you…" "Yes alright, no pressure, I can't Neil there's nothing there. All I remember is…" "Yes.." "I fell by them, I smelt their after shave and…" Andrea stopped, she couldn't remember anymore.

"After shave? Are you saying it was a man?" Neil asked, holding the recorder closer, so it didn't miss anything.  
"I dunno, it was a manly scent, I've smelt it before, but I don't know where… that's gone too." Neil sighed, He didn't want to push her, she was quite weak. Andrea thought that Neil's sigh was a negative one, that he was getting bored and tired of the fact that she didn't know anything, thinking that she began to cry. Neil was focussing on his thoughts, he heard Andrea sniff and examined her to see what was wrong, she was crying alright. He squeezed her hand harder and she stood.  
"I can't do this Neil, no it's too hard, there's nothing there I…" She began to walk to the door, Neil held her arms and steered her back towards him. She stood inches away with her head bowed crying, while Neil gripped her arms. "Come here." Neil pulled Andrea towards him. His hands moved to her head and lower back, while Andrea gripped tightly around his waist. He moved his head so his chin touched her forehead, she moved her head up to meet him and court a whiff of his after shave. She threw herself away from him.

"What's wrong?" Neil asked, confused Andrea looked petrified "Your…your aftershave, that's how I remembered that person's, it's yours. The aftershave I remember… it's yours, that's why I stopped by them, I thought it was you. I said hello but you didn't answer so I carried on walking…. The smell was you"


	6. The Second Meeting

Phoenix From The Ashes Part 6 

DISCLAIMER: 'The Bill' characters depicted in this story is copyrighted to Thames Television/Pearson Corp

"So is this her?" The dark figure asked.  
"Yeah, that's Andrea Dunbar alright, that's a picture of her and her mates at a Friday night bash they had a few weeks ago, she's well liked…" "Yeah, yeah, yeah my heart bleeds - the stupid woman shouldn't even be in the Police, it's a man's job, if she wasn't in there she wouldn't get hurt." The messenger sighed.  
"Listen I want out…" The murder laughed, and made their way to a seat in the corner of the dimly lit room. "You want out?" "Yeah, I'm liked at the station, I can't do this, I can't believe I was given a part into killing the officers… Well it's not like I had a choice…" "What's that suppose to mean? You met up with me and suggested this in the first place!" "It wasn't all my plan, it was your idea to use Cathy, any way I didn't know anyone would get killed. I put a small amount of dynamite in that bomb…" "Yeah I noticed that… So I filled it up a bit." The murderer laughed again, "I thought you hadn't finished, so I was helping you get the job done…" The messenger paced, "You did what!" The messenger sighed and slumped on the floor, while the murder watched.

"I have the photo… Now I want her address." "What?" The messenger asked "You heard me… get me her address then you will be out." "Really?" "Yeah, really - no more errands." Replied the cop killer

The messenger, sighed and stood up, they walked over to the boarded up window, looking out the window they confirmed to do the killers quest.  
"Good, I'll expect it by the end of the shift, so I can pay her a visit…"


End file.
